SATIRE
In an exclusive, Eden Park gives its first interview since its controversial comments on the Springboks tour 40 years ago. It talks to the Herald about the Wallabies' hoodoo, TMO replays and why more fans didn't turn up on Saturday.
First up, there was a noticeable drop in crowd size on Saturday compared to the previous week, a lot of people blaming you. At 121 years old are you still up to it?
I'm in the best condition of my life. 10 years ago I hosted 11 games in 45 days. I can't see why I can't have two tests in two weekends and an Auckland-Canterbury game in between. 50,000 fans stood on me for the Six60 concert in April. I was made for these occasions - or at least I've been shaped and reshaped and changed again with these big moments in mind.
So why was the crowd smaller then?
Look I'm not going to play the blame game. There will be a lot of learnings moving forward and I'm looking forward to what the future holds. But try telling my mate North Harbour Stadium (nee Albany) that 75,000 fans over two gamedays is a failure.
Do you believe in this hoodoo? The Wallabies haven't won at you since 1986.
It may be controversial but yes. Yes I do. I had a weird feeling after that game in 1986. The Wallabies were in the sheds blasting Frankie Goes to Hollywood's 'Rage Hard' on their boom box. Captain Andrew Slack was taking a drink from the Bledisloe and said to Topo Rodriguez "We've got these bastards now. I don't think we're ever going to lose in this s***hole ever again". They'd won the Bledisloe for the first time since 1980 and the first time in New Zealand since 1949 (yeah yeah that was at me as well but we would have won that game if Jack Kelly wasn't injured in the first half). This is a team that played games at Ballymore Oval - calling me a s***hole. Of course, I was offended and made sure to do anything I can to ensure they lose. Even when they're not playing the All Blacks. Remember the Ireland pool play game in 2011?